pandowdy
Americannoun
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pandowdy
An Americanism dating back to 1795–1805; perhaps variant of obsolete dialect (Somerset) pandoulde “custard”; see pan 1
Explanation
A pandowdy is a baked fruit dessert with a broken crust on top. Apple pandowdy, popular in the 19th century, was reportedly a favorite of Abigail Adams. Somewhere between a cobbler and a pie, pandowdy is distinctive for its top crust, which is broken part way through baking. Think of it as a deep-dish pie that's been mangled with a fork. Pandowdy first appeared in cookbooks in the 1840s, and it's considered a classic American dessert. The name's exact origin is uncertain, but many recipes specify that the baker "dowdy" the crust, or make it appear less neat and tidy.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
There's also the apple pandowdy, an old-fashioned delight that's akin to a haphazard and partially baked pie.
From Salon • Dec. 11, 2021
Best Dinner Theater Sweet: Cafe Nordo’s rhubarb pandowdy in a tiny cast-iron skillet.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 31, 2013
In due time, the fading flowers turn into apples, offering a thousand fulfillments: apple pie, apple cake, applesauce, apple cider, apple butter, apple jelly, apple dumplings, apple tarts, apple pandowdy.
From Time Magazine Archive
In the German-speaking communities in Pennsylvania, it was essential for a spiced baked apple dish called pandowdy.
From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler
Mr. Adams passed his bowl for more pandowdy, and then went on with the conversation.
From Daughters of the Revolution and Their Times 1769 - 1776 A Historical Romance by Coffin, Charles Carleton
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
